Pest experts are warning this summer will come with a sting in the tail as it is set to be a bumper year for wasps in Bedfordshire.

Mild spring temperatures after a relatively cold winter have created perfect conditions for the nuisance insects.

And with forecasters predicting warmer than average weather for the rest of May and June, experts are expecting a huge rise in both the number and size of nests.

Figures produced by the British Pest Control Association last week indicate problems with wasps shot up by around 87% in the UK last year compared to an unusually quiet 2013.

Last year Bedfordshire Central District Council reported a 148% rise in its number of wasp treatments with 201 up from 81 the year before. The council had the 10th highest number of recorded cases from more than 16 councils across seven counties.

Now Rob Simpson, leader of independent pest controllers register BASIS PROMPT, is warning of another surge in complaints this time around.

Experts say weather conditions have been ideal for wasps to thrive

He said: “The annual wasp population in the UK is very much dependent on weather conditions.

“The number of nests seemed to be down significantly in 2013, but there was a substantial increase last year when numbers returned to something like normal.

“Colder winters often mean there are more wasps about the following summer as mated queens spend the period deep in hibernation.

“If it’s milder in December and January, wasps become restless and use up their food reserves. They then have nothing left to forage on, so they die.

Treating a wasps nest can be very dangerous as they feel threatened and are likely to become aggressive if their nest is tampered with. A mature nest can contain thousands of wasps, so it’s really not worth the risk.